Newcastle United’s December fixture list is looking extremely busy already.

By the time the action-packed month closes, Eddie Howe’s Toon will have played eight games in all competitions, with Bayer Leverkusen up next for the frantic Magpies in the Champions League.

So far for Howe and Co, it’s been one draw and one win in the hectic month, with the 2-1 win over Burnley secured last time out in the Premier League far more nervy than it needed to be, after the hosts had gifted the ten-man Clarets a penalty right at the death.

Thankfully, no late fightback was on the cards, but with fixture congestion obviously going to become a big issue the more the month goes on, some changes could be on the agenda for the trip to Germany on Wednesday night, whether it’s because of tired legs or an actual drop in performance.

Where Eddie Howe needs to rotate against Leverkusen

With 17 shots tallied up on the Burnley goal throughout, Newcastle, arguably, should have notched up a far more comprehensive win against Scott Parker’s valiant visitors.

Nick Woltemade didn’t cover himself in much glory up top, in this regard, with just 18 touches of the ball passing him by, leading to zero on-target shots being powered at Martin Dubravka’s busy goal.

With Yoane Wissa back and available for selection after a lengthy injury, too, it could well be the perfect time to test out the ex-Brentford striker from the start against Leverkusen, with the German dismissed as having a “sloppy” performance, as per the Daily Mail’s Craig Hope.

He wasn’t the only performer on the pitch that stood out for all the wrong reasons, though, with Jacob Ramsey struggling throughout, next to Bruno Guimaraes, who grabbed another memorable Toon strike.

Sandro Tonali and Joelinton will likely walk back into the midfield spots ahead of Ramsey, who would give up the handball that gifted Zian Flemming a 94th-minute lifeline.

Anthony Elanga also continues to look lost in Newcastle black and white, with just one of his seven dribbles coming off against Burnley, but other Newcastle faces managed to cement their first-team position even more on Saturday afternoon, as this often hit-and-miss attacker continues to turn around his initially underwhelming season.

Newcastle's "best player" is now undroppable again

Newcastle have been very hit and miss so far this season, but with three Premier League victories now from their last four clashes in the tough division, Howe will hope his wobbly team have turned a corner.

Anthony Gordon certainly has, with the ex-Everton winger’s days of drawing blanks in league action this season firmly over, as he has now converted two crucial penalties back-to-back at St. James’ Park.

Without the England international’s ice-cold precision from the spot, the Magpies might well have been staring at two completely different results.

It’s been a very sharp turnaround in fortunes for the 24-year-old, with one analyst claiming that Gordon had entered “Gabriel Obertan territory” earlier in the campaign when he was consistently drawing blanks in the Premier League.

Obertan would only go on to score three goals for the Toon across a difficult 77-game spell, having never lived up to his early hype in England, when on the books of Manchester United.

Thankfully, Gordon now looks to have recaptured his gung-ho best, away from looking passive down the channels, with Howe – come the full-time whistle of the Burnley win – even labelling the Liverpool-born forward as the “best player” on the pitch as his “direct running” ultimately helped Newcastle overcome a stern Clarets battle.

Gordon’s numbers in 25/26

Stat

Gordon

PL games played

10

PL goals scored

2

PL assists

0

Champions League games played

5

CL goals scored

4

CL assists

1

Stats by Sofascore

Looking at the table above, too, Gordon has the chance to firm up why he deserves to be one of Howe’s first names on the teamsheets by putting in another memorable showing in the Champions League at the BayArena, having mustered up a sublime four goals and one assist this season in Europe’s first-class competition.

With a whirlwind 37 goals and assists amassed over his previous two seasons on Tyneside, too, Gordon will hope he can enter into another purple patch of form after suffering from some shaky moments here and there this campaign, off the back of his manager’s glowing words.

There’s certainly plenty of action ahead for Gordon to sink his teeth into, as he prays more words of praise come his way soon from his manager and beyond, alongside Newcastle continuing to pick up more wins.

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Wood will continue to train as planned ahead of Perth Test, but whether England select him or not remains to be seen

Tristan Lavalette15-Nov-2025

Mark Wood was in good spirits after being cleared of a hamstring strain•Getty Images

Mark Wood has been cleared of a hamstring injury in a relief for England ahead of the Ashes, but he will not take the field on the final day of England’s sole warm-up game at Lilac Hill in Perth against England Lions.In what came as a scare for England, Wood experienced stiffness in his left hamstring on Friday after bowling two four-over spells to start the three-day match. He left the field after his second spell midway through the second session before being sent for scans.Related

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“Following precautionary scans on Friday, England fast bowler Mark Wood has been cleared of any concerns regarding his left hamstring,” the ECB said in a statement.The ECB also said that Wood would continue to train as planned ahead of the first Test, starting on November 21 in Perth, but whether England are going to select him or not remains to be seen.Brydon Carse, who overcame illness on the first day of the warm-up to claim three wickets in England’s second innings, welcomed the prospect of England’s fastest bowler being part of the mix at Perth.”That’s great news,” Carse said. “Woody found out last night that it’s nothing serious, he’s going to have a couple of days off and then have a good bit of training up leading up to that first Test.”For any player, when you’re waiting on a result of a scan, it can be a little bit niggly, but he was fairly confident. So, he’s all up and about and full of energy at the moment.”England have taken a cautious approach with Wood’s rehabilitation from the knee injury that he sustained at the Champions Trophy in February. He had initially hoped to feature in the final Test of their summer series against India, but a setback in training ended up ruling him out of the entire home season.”He’s got a huge amount of resilience,” Carse added. “You look back at some of the setbacks that he’s had over his career, to keep going through the processes to get back out on the field, it’s very exciting, and it shows the sort of character that he has.”Wood, on the first day, had bowled several lively deliveries on a relatively sedate surface at Lilac Hill, a suburban ground in the fringes of Perth.The conditions at the Optus Stadium are expected to be more conducive to fast bowling and, in addition to Wood and Carse, the squad also has Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Matt Potts, Josh Tongue and Ben Stokes as quick-bowling options.”This week was all about bowlers getting miles in their legs,” Carse added. “It’s exciting. I think we’ve got a group of six bowlers who, whatever dynamic we go with, will relish those conditions.”Later on Saturday, Australia suffered a major blow when Josh Hazlewood was ruled out of the opening Test with a hamstring injury after initially being cleared during the Sheffield Shield game against Victoria last week.

India’s top-order batters have yet to get going in this World Cup, but the good sign for the team is they are still winning comfortably

Andrew Fidel Fernando06-Oct-20254:12

Goud, Deepti, Ghosh make it two from two for India

Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues have a tournament average of 20 and 18 respectively so far, having batted twice each. Smriti Mandhana, India’s form batter leading in, has a tally of 31. Even Pratika Rawal, their latest top-order smash hit, hasn’t yet struck a 40 at this World Cup.And yet twice India have clambered their way to good totals against decent attacks, scrambling runs on pitches opponents have nosedived on. They were 124 for 6 in Guwahati against Sri Lanka, 159 for 5 against Pakistan. Without a half-century from any of their top five, they are two wins up in a World Cup that hasn’t pushed them yet.Related

• India need to fix flaws ahead of tougher challenges in World Cup

• Goud, Deepti seal another big win against Pakistan

• Harmanpreet: 'It wasn't an easy pitch to bat'

• Goud times roll for India's newest new-ball star

It’s the multi-dimensional cricketers in the lower middle order that have prospered. In these two games they’ve rebuilt at times, consolidated at others, and attacked successfully at the death. They’ve suggested strongly, that this India World Cup team has more gears, and more depth than most that have come before.Deepti Sharma has been at the centre of India’s dynamism. Having made a busy 53 against Sri Lanka, she struck a more measured 25 off 33 against Pakistan, on a Khettarama surface no batter looked truly comfortable on.Clearly there is variety here already, but she has yet another mode, thanks to the improvements she has made to her hitting, partly at the WPL. In an extremely high-scoring match against Australia a little over two weeks ago, Deepti clobbered two sixes and five fours to score 72 off 58.Deepti had Sneh Rana for a co-conspirator in both innings at the World Cup, but faced with varying challenges, produced excellent partnerships, both worth 42. Against Sri Lanka, the two had come together with only 21 balls left in the innings, and had thumped their way to the close, Rana hitting 28 not out off 15 balls.Richa Ghosh showed the full range of strokes to provide India a late boost•Getty ImagesAgainst Pakistan, they were joined with 15 overs left to play and were required to take the innings deep. This 42-run stand took 56 balls – Rana scoring her 20 off 33 balls. Rana too is riding a WPL high, her two rapid, finishing innings at this year’s tournament giving India’s selectors a little more confidence in picking her. She had made useful batting contributions in that series against Australia as well, hitting 24 and 35.But against Pakistan it was Richa Ghosh who produced India’s best innings, raising them to an imposing 248 when they had once been at risk of being restricted to 220. She came in with 34 balls to go and got stuck at the other end while Diana Baig bowled a wicket maiden. But roughly midway through the 47th over, she picked a Fatima Sana slower ball and launched it over wide long-on.There was plenty more power in her 35 not out off 20 balls, particularly against Baig, whose full tosses she smoked down the ground for a four then a six. Also against Baig, but in the final over, Ghosh showcased newer elements of her game – a reverse swat that brought four runs over short third.All three of these cricketers also offer substantial skills when India bowl. Deepti claimed 3 for 45, dismissing Pakistan’s best batter Sidra Amin. Rana took 2 for 38 at a ground she has dominated in this year. Shree Charani didn’t get wickets against Pakistan, but had taken 2 for 37 against Sri Lanka.Throw these three spinners together with a batting order that is getting the team to good totals without big innings from the bigger names, and you have an outfit that is beginning to look ominous at a home World Cup. They will face higher-rated opposition when they return to India, but they have unlocked a new level of versatility.

Former Manchester City player Joey Barton has received a suspended sentence for 'grossly offensive' social media posts to football pundits Eni Aluko and Lucy Ward and broadcaster Jeremy Vine. The 43-year-old was handed a six-month prison sentence, which is suspended for 18 months. The ex-Newcastle United man claims that he "never meant to hurt anyone" with his electronic communications.

Barton found guilty by jury

In November, Barton was found guilty of sending 'grossly offensive' social media posts, where he called Vine a "bike nonce" and compared Ward and Aluko to serial killer couple Fred and Rose West on X. Jurors at Liverpool Crown Court found that he had "crossed the line between free speech and a crime" on six counts after being charged with 12 counts of sending a grossly offensive electronic communications with intent to cause distress or anxiety back in January 2024.

At the trial, Barton said: "It was not meant to call him a paedophile. It was a bad, dark, juvenile joke. I have not at any point tried to cause distress or anxiety or risk his life or his daughters' lives. I don't want people to fear for their lives, I'm a dad. I cannot believe I'm on trial for this. Words on a social media site."

AdvertisementGetty/GOALBarton avoids jail term

The former Bristol Rovers manager was handed an 18-month suspended sentence, which means he will not serve any time behind bars unless he reoffends in that period. He was given six months each for two offences against Aluko and four months for each of the four counts related to Vine and Ward. At the sentencing, Judge Andrew Menary KC also ordered Barton to perform 200 hours of unpaid community work and pay more than £20,000 in costs. 

After leaving court, Barton told The BBC: "If I could turn back the clock I would. I never meant to hurt anyone. It was a joke that got out of hand. Nobody wants to go to jail."

'Sustained campaign of online abuse'

The judge added that targeting individuals online, in the way Barton did, falls outside the realm of freedom of speech. 

He told the court: "Robust debate, satire, mockery and even crude language may fall within permissible free speech. But when posts deliberately target individuals with vilifying comparisons to serial killers or false insinuations of paedophilia, designed to humiliate and distress, they forfeit their protection. As the jury concluded, your offences exemplify behaviour that is beyond this limit – amounting to a sustained campaign of online abuse that was not mere commentary but targeted, extreme and deliberately harmful."

Menary added that he was satisfied that Barton's custodial terms did not have to be "served immediately" and he had faith he could change his ways for good.

He said: "In light of the steps you have taken, I am persuaded that there is some prospect of rehabilitation – that an immediate custodial sentence is not required to protect either the public or the victims. A suspended sentence order may – may – itself operate as a deterrent against any future defending by you."

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Getty Images EntertainmentWhat now for Barton?

Two-year restraining orders were issued against each of Barton's victims, which includes publishing any reference to them on any social media or broadcast platform.

After the verdict, Vine added: "I'm happy the case is over. Joey Barton has been made to pay a lot for his disgusting lies and abuse, but I fear he'll keep offending until the day he dies."

Cheshire Police said they hoped this case would deter others from sharing "abusive and hateful messages" online going forward.

"Barton's posts would have been seen by hundreds, if not thousands of people, and yet he showed no regard or consideration for how this would impact on his victims and their wellbeing. The sentence handed to him today comes with a number of strict conditions and should he breach these in any way he may face the prospect of time behind bars," said the police spokesperson.

Well, it certainly could have been easier. If England could have picked their opponents for the 2026 World Cup group stage, they probably would not have chosen a Croatia team that finished third at the last tournament and knocked them out in the semi-finals at the previous one in Russia, or a Ghana side containing two of the most exciting forwards in the Premier League.

At least Panama, who they destroyed 6-1 in the group stage in 2018, represent as close a guarantee to a win as is possible. A testing group, however, is just what Thomas Tuchel's side need to warm-up for the knockout rounds, when the expanded World Cup will truly kick into life. 

England are the only team at the 2026 World Cup to have won all their qualifying games without conceding a goal, and yet the confidence that comes from such a dominant display in those eight matches has to be balanced with the fact that Tuchel's side are yet to face a top team, with their friendlies pitting them against Wales and Senegal, the latter beating them last June.

Having a relatively tough run of opening matches will help sharpen England's reflexes and test their mentality, which should put them in good stead for the business end of the tournament. The Three Lions will need to be prepared because they have a truly daunting path to the final, potentially meeting former winners in every stage from the quarter-finals onwards. 

But while Gareth Southgate's England tended to be cowed by playing the very best teams, Tuchel has sought to remove the fear factor from his players, fostering fierce competition among his squad, which has translated into them wanting to tear into opponents rather than being overawed by them. As the fourth-ranked team in the world and runners-up in the last two European Championships, England have no excuse for not going all the way, regardless of how the draw has panned out.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Croatia not the force they were

  England will begin the tournament after nearly everyone else when they play Croatia on June 17, six days after Mexico and South Africa get the show on the road.

  The mere mention of Croatia makes many England fans shudder. They came from behind to beat Gareth Southgate's side in the semi-finals of 2018, using the perceived arrogance of the constant talk of 'Football Coming Home' as fuel. 

  Croatia were also responsible for England's darkest moment in the 21st Century: Their failure to qualify for Euro 2008 after losing 3-2 to Slavan Bilic's side at a rain-swept Wembley. England avenged that defeat by thrashing Croatia home and away while qualifying for the 2010 World Cup, while Southgate's side also got their own back, beating Zlatko Dalic's men in the Nations League and in the first game of Euro 2020.

  Croatia defied the odds once again at Qatar 2022, reaching the semi-finals after coming back to beat Japan and then Brazil on penalties, and few teams have their endurance factor in the big moments. But they are a team of the past, as their dismal showing at Euro 2024 showed.

  Captain Luka Modric recently turned 40, but he is far from the exception when it comes to veterans with prominent roles in the team. Ivan Perisic will be 37 when the tournament comes around while Andrej Kramaric will be almost 35. England should beat them.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Ghana on the way back after AFCON disaster

  Next up is Ghana. The Black Stars are the lowest-ranked team England will face in the group after they suffered the ignominy of failing to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. They recovered some pride by winning eight of their 10 World Cup qualifiers to finish top of their group, however, and they have more than enough big names to keep Tuchel's side on their toes. 

  Antoine Semenyo is one of the most productive players in the Premier League and will be the one England will be looking to keep a lid on, with Mohamed Kudus a close second. Semenyo has, it should be pointed out, failed to reproduce his club heroics for his country, scoring only three goals and providing one assist in 32 internationals.

  Ghana's top scorer in World Cup qualifying was Leicester City striker Jordan Ayew, who just so happens to be the son of Abedi Pele, the greatest Black Stars player of all time. Coach Otto Addo, who led them to the last World Cup in Qatar but left before the AFCON qualifying debacle, has European experience as an assistant with Borussia Dortmund and Danish side Nordsjaelland, and has bolstered their threat from dead balls by with the help of the Belgian video analyst and set-piece coach Gregory De Grauwe.

  They will be no pushovers, but England should have more than enough resources to also beat them.

• AFP
  

  Panama have kicked on

  England will have hoped to have at least assured themselves of a place in the knockout rounds when they meet Panama in their third and final group game. The 6-1 shellacking of the Central American nation in Nizhny Novgorod smashed England's previous record win at a World Cup, with Harry Kane's hat-trick against the tournament debutants going a long way towards him winning the Golden Boot. Panama failed to pick up a point in Russia, but have advanced as a team since then under the tutelage of Thomas Christiansen. 

  The former Leeds United coach, who spent most of his playing career in Spain and represented La Roja despite being born in Denmark, took Panama to the final of the 2023 Gold Cup, the 2024-25 Concacaf Nations League and to the quarter-finals of the Copa America in 2024, which was held in the United States. 

  Strangely, the team that are ostensibly the minnows of Group L could pose the toughest challenge to England as they set up in an extremely conservative 5-4-1 formation, the same shape that Andorra used in their narrow defeats to Tuchel's side in qualifying. But if England need a result to qualify or finish top of the group, they will surely get it. Indeed, their relentless record in qualifying suggests Tuchel will not let them relax even if the game is a dead rubber.

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• Getty
  

  Avoiding the worst conditions

  The good news is that England have avoided some of the toughest conditions when it comes to temperature, humidity and altitude. The exact venues and kick-off times will not be confirmed until Saturday evening, although most of England's games have been designated for the eastern region, with one exception: Dallas.

  Their opening game with Croatia will be in either Toronto or Dallas, places with vastly different climates. The good news is though that if the game is held in Dallas – or Arlington, to be exact – AT&T Stadium has a retractable roof and its climate can be controlled, protecting the players from the worst of the Texas summer and its temperatures that can reach 34C degrees. 

  Toronto represents the best conditions for football, and England could also play Ghana in the Canadian city, meaning there is potential for back-to-back games without travel. The alternative is Boston, which will be hotter and with the added disadvantage of the Gillette Stadium having no roof and thus no shelter from the sun or the rain. The same is true of the MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey and Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, the two options for the final game against Panama.

  If England top Group L, their path through the knockout stage will see them criss-cross the continent, heading south to the indoor Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta for the last 32, then all the way to Mexico City, with lower temperatures but significant altitude, for the last 16. The humidity of Miami would be a new challenge for Tuchel's side in the quarter-finals, with a return to Atalanta on the cards in the semis before a final in New York/New Jersey.

Zimbabwe’s top-heavy batting line-up never looked in contention in a chase of 196

Danyal Rasool23-Nov-2025There are wins that seal two points, and wins that damage the opposition’s net run rate enough to imperil their path to the final. A half-century from Babar Azam and an Usman Tariq hat-trick walloped Zimbabwe by 69 runs to dent their net run-rate and keep Sri Lanka in contention for the tri-series final on Saturday. It is a final Pakistan are guaranteed to play now, having won all of their first three games. Pakistan’s 195 quickly became academic for a Zimbabwe unit that didn’t have the firepower to challenge it, and found themselves shot out for 126.After winning the toss and batting first, Saim Ayub looked to take full advantage of the powerplay. In a breezy cameo, he struck a pair of early sixes before finding a fielder. Sahibzada Farhan and Babar shifted through the gears through their partnership as they controlled the pacing of their innings, setting up Fakhar Zaman and the middle order for a big finish.Zimbabwe’s top heavy T20I batting line-up meant they could not afford to leave too much work for anyone outside the top five, but in pursuit of 196, risk-taking was inevitable. The warning signs were there when Tadiwanashe Marumani tamely spooned Naseem Shah to cover point. Brian Bennett and Brendan Taylor followed soon after, and the only resistance Zimbabwe offered came in the form of a 34-run partnership between Ryan Burl and Sikandar Raza.With Tariq’s hat-trick running through the visitors at speed, Burl suddenly found himself fighting a lone hand at one end. Somewhat curiously, he appeared disinterested in farming the strike right up until he began to approach his half-century. He would get there in style with a six off Naseem, and while he remained unbeaten, the same could emphatically not be said of his team-mates.Babar, Sahibzada take Zimbabwe onAfter Ayub holed out following a flashy start, it was left to Farhan and Babar – two men who have recently returned to form – to maintain Pakistan’s momentum. The pair went about their business in contrasting fashion. Farhan was intent on making the most of the powerplay, looking to heave at deliveries and partially riding his luck. Even so, the first 20 balls saw him score 32 runs, while Babar was characteristically sedate, looking to get himself in before launching. In his first 20, he had managed less than half of Farhan’s output, with 15 runs on the board.Babar Azam began sedately but accelerated after bedding in•PCBBut they appeared clear-headed about the target they wanted to set, and picked their moment to launch. Babar dispatched Sikandar Raza for a couple of boundaries in the 12th over, with both targeting the next few overs. Farhan brought up the hundred partnership with a colossal six down the ground as Pakistan set themselves up for the final five overs. Raza snared him next ball, but he had scored 63 off 41, and by the time Babar holed out in the deep, his 52-ball 74 had more than made up for the quiet start.The back-end onslaughtWith wickets to spare in the final five overs, Pakistan shuffled their batting order, but everyone had the license for uninhibited attack. Faheem Ashraf and Mohammad Nawaz were promoted but failed to fire, with Babar keeping the run rate soaring as he took down Brad Evans and Raza in overs that produced 16 and 11 respectively.When Raza removed Babar, though, Zimbabwe enjoyed an over or so of calm, but all that hard work would be undone in a stunning final over. Fakhar, sent in at No. 7 in a career-first, smashed three sixes and a four off the hapless Evans, plundering 25 in the over to rocket Pakistan to a tournament-best 195. That Evans appeared to have dismissed him off the innings’ final delivery, only for it to be called a no-ball and for Fakhar to dispatch the free hit for six, added insult to injury.Usman Tariq’s hat-trickThe phrase “why did he do that” has become instantly recognisable among Pakistan supporters since it was immortalised when Shannon Gabriel attempted to attack spinner Yasir Shah when on the verge of saving a Test match. Today, Wellington Masakadza attempted something similar when seeing off Tariq’s hat-trick delivery.The offspinner had dismissed Tony Munyonga when he edged a sweep to short fine, and the following ball Tashinga Musekiwa was cleaned up. With fielders crowding around the bat for the hat-trick delivery, Masakadza opted to loft Tariq into the onside. Long-on was perfectly positioned to take the catch, and Tariq was gifted a hat-trick that ensured Zimbabwe would fall to a huge defeat.

This has not been a good week for Chelsea Football Club.

Down to ten men against league leaders Arsenal, they did at least salvage some pride from that game. To hold one of the best sides in Europe, if not the best side in Europe this season to a 1-1 draw with fewer players is certainly reason to celebrate.

However, a week on from defeating Barcelona in the Champions League, this midweek was a great deal more frustrating for Enzo Maresca and Co.

A game against Leeds United should have been easy, right? Think again. The Blues lost 3-1 and slipped further behind the Gunners in the race for the title. That dream looks over for another year, but according to Maresca, there is one big reason to remain positive.

Maresca shares good news for Chelsea

Maresca has admitted that Cole Palmer’s return to action at Elland Road was the only positive.

The attacking midfielder has been absent for a large portion of the season but has been back among the matchday squad across the last two games.

Palmer came off the bench in the 61st minute for his first outing since late September after toes and groin problems and understandably, that was the only consolation Chelsea’s Italian gaffer could extract from such a horror night on the road.

Maresca said: “Probably it’s the only good news of the night. I’m happy for him, he’s back, now he needs to build a little bit the physical condition and he will be important for us, for sure.

“He’s getting better, but he needs to play minutes. He had more-or-less half-an-hour, hopefully we can give him more in the next game.”

Palmer has been a breathtaking signing at Stamford Bridge, notably bagging 18 goals and registering 14 assists in all competitions for his club last season.

Well, Maresca will certainly need his talisman to rediscover that form after dropping points in consecutive fixtures.

Speaking about the result, the former Leicester City manager stated: “When you play the last two games against Barcelona and Arsenal, you expect a better performance, no doubt.

“But, for many reasons, it’s not going to be possible for every game again, because we change players, because we have players that we said many times it’s not possible to play every two, three days. When you change players, also the level drops, that is the reality, because they are important players for us. Moises, Reece (James), with these kind of players, we cannot use them every game. It’s impossible, because otherwise they can get injury again and be out for months.”

Chelsea are now fourth in the table after Aston Villa defeated Brighton in midweek. While the Blues looked in something of a title race last week, they are now nine points off top spot.

For the World Champions, you would expect that their hopes now rest on the cup competitions for the rest of the ongoing season.

As bad as Tosin: Maresca's 4/10 flop must never start for Chelsea again

Chelsea’s title hopes seemingly went up in smoke away at Leeds United.

ByRobbie Walls Dec 4, 2025

Since the start of last season, Tottenham Hotspur have only won six home games in the Premier League.

A big response was needed ahead of Saturday’s clash against Fulham, but the relegation-threatened Cottagers swept into a two-goal advantage after six minutes, and the damage was done.

Premier League 25/26 – xG Leaders
Club	League Position	xG
(1) Man City	2nd	24.2
(2) Chelsea	3rd	22.9
(3) Crystal Palace	9th	21.1
(4) Arsenal	1st	21.8
(5) Brentford	10th	21.1
(17) Tottenham	12th	11.9
Data via FBref

This, sadly, is no uncharted territory, with Ange Postecoglou’s incredible Europa League triumph unable to save him from the axe as the Lilywhites limped to a 17th-place finish in the Premier League.

Thomas Frank was snapped up, the former Brentford boss having done so well in west London.

But things have hardly gone swimmingly several months into the Danish tactician’s stewardship.

Spurs could consider summer target

Frank still believes he can turn things around at Tottenham, but he’s running out of time. The fans are fed up, and there is a widening chasm in regard to the connection between manager and supporter.

To dare is to do, but Spurs daren’t spread their wings and showcase their attacking quality, it seems. Frank might employ a grittier, more pragmatic defensive and build-up structure than his predecessor, but he will fall by the wayside without taking off the fetters.

And with Oliver Glasner likely still on ENIC Group’s radar after summer interest, a solution may be right there for the taking.

In June, Tottenham chiefs held talks with the trophy-winning Crystal Palace manager before opting instead to push ahead with Frank, though the Austrian said he was committed to the Eagles cause after his stunning FA Cup win.

However, rumours of Glasner’s departure from Selhurst Park have since persisted, and the fan view from south London is that the 51-year-old will leave the club by the end of the season.

Why Spurs should appoint Glasner

Glasner has worked wonders since replacing Roy Hodgson at Crystal Palace, claiming the FA Cup and Community Shield in 2025, but also fashioning this side into a genuine contender at the front end of the Premier League. They are currently competing in the Conference League.

Described as a “top-five manager in the world” by one Premier League content creator, Bayern Munich wanted Glasner’s signature before pushing ahead with Vincent Kompany, and competition is sure to be thick if he remains the Eagles boss next summer.

Typically employing a three-man backline, Glasner would find players in north London who have already established a measure of understanding in a similar system.

His aggressive duelling style and fluidity in set-up could actually play into Xavi Simons’ hands, the Netherlands midfielder having struggled since signing from RB Leipzig this summer.

Simons, 22, has lacked sharpness and physicality in the final third for the Lilywhites, but there’s no question that he is a top talent and that his numbers in the Bundesliga, both in regard to output and athleticism, suggest he has what it takes to cut the mustard.

And if you hark back to that xG-related table, you will observe that Palace sit third in the standings there. Frank will feel hard done by, James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski still recovering from injuries picked up last season, but there can be no excuse for the manner of Spurs’ performances. More should be given from the players on the pitch.

You need only look at Simons’ prolific campaigns in Germany to understand that this is a special player, varied in his attacking approach, creative, combative, crafty when on the ball.

Xavi Simons in the Bundesliga
Stats (* per game)	23/24	24/25
Matches (starts)	32 (32)	25 (25)
Goals	8	10
Assists	11	7
Shots (on target)*	2.5 (1.0)	2.0 (0.9)
Touches*	62.6	68.0
Pass completion	82%	83%
Big chances created	14	12
Key passes*	2.5	2.0
Dribbles*	2.6	1.3
Ball recoveries*	5.2	5.1
Tackles + interceptions*	1.4	1.6
Duels won*	6.3	5.4
Data via Sofascore

The young Dutchman is a “game-changer”, as said by talent scout Jacek Kulig, and he has the capacity to become a superstar in the Premier League.

Tottenham haven’t exactly provided him with arable land to root in his skills and grow into a leading man down N17. Frank proved at Brentford that he is a good manager, but maybe he just isn’t right for this Spurs project.

Glasner, however, would be a jackpot appointment, and his previous success in shaping Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise into elite creators on the biggest stage suggests that he would be the manager to revive Simons’ potential.

Under Glasner’s wing, Olise posted seven goal involvements from the eight games he was involved, injured for much of his early time at the helm. Eze scored 20 goals and assisted 14 more across 56 outings before completing a big-money move to Arsenal.

The security and balance of Glasner’s tactical set-up would free Simons’ playmaking quality up, and if Frank is dismissed, this would be the coach to go for.

Spurs flop has become their biggest "embarrassment" since Aurier

It’s gone from bad to worse for Spurs, and this Conte signing’s time at the club could be coming to an end.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Dec 1, 2025

A red soil surface at a new Test venue, an early start, and the possibility of bad light in the evening awaits India and South Africa

Karthik Krishnaswamy20-Nov-20256:22

‘Gambhir took the blame because he felt curators should not be blamed’

After the events of Kolkata, how will Guwahati play out? What kind of pitch can we expect at the Barsapara Stadium? What do India, 1-0 down after losing to South Africa inside three days on an Eden Gardens pitch with deadly uneven bounce, want from the surface?Two days out from the second India-South Africa Test, this much can be said about the Guwahati pitch: it is a red-soil surface with an even covering of grass — similar to the one used in Ahmedabad for the first Test against West Indies last month, though less green, and a certain amount of grass is likely to be mown off before the match begins. The pitch was watered on Thursday afternoon.These signs point to certain intentions: for a pitch that provides bounce and holds together well at least for the first two days or so, before becoming increasingly amenable to spin.Intentions, however, don’t always translate to what actually happens when the match begins. And this, according to India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak, is what played out in Kolkata.Related

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Four days after India head coach Gautam Gambhir had said they had got “exactly the pitch we were looking for” at Eden Gardens, and that the curator had been “very, very helpful” in providing it, Kotak said this wasn’t what happened. Gambhir spoke as he did, Kotak said, to divert flak away from curator Sujan Mukherjee and onto himself, and that neither India nor the curator had wanted the pitch to behave as it did.”When Gautam came for the press conference after the match and took all the blame on himself — he said we had asked for [that pitch] — he did that because he felt the curators shouldn’t be blamed,” Kotak said. “[…] Every country plays to their strengths. In India that is spin. Ever since I’ve come in, every time, we have the same conversation, that the Test match should go on for four days, four-and-a-half days. All we want is a bit of spin [in the pitch], because spin is our strength.”[…] What happened in the last match, after the first day, you could see that [the pitch] was crumbling, a bit of soil was coming [off the surface]. That wasn’t expected. Even if we had expected that much spin, it was after the third day, or on the evening of the third day. Even the curator didn’t want this. No one wanted what happened.”From the second day, whether the wicket became too dry, or whether — and this is my reading — the top layer became too dry, and the underneath layer was very hard because there was a lot of rolling, and [the pitch behaved as it did] because of this. You can ask the curator, or ask anyone — no one asked for a match that would end in two days, or for square turn.”Well, then.If you read between Gambhir’s lines, Kotak’s lines, all the talk in Kolkata surrounding the lack of watering of the pitch in the days leading up to the Test match, and all the evidence of Test matches in India over recent years, a possible narrative begins to emerge.India want a certain amount of turn on day one to minimise the toss advantage. They ask curators for this. But the visual evidence of the pitch prepared by the curator doesn’t ease their fears of a too-flat surface that renders their spinners ineffective in the first innings should they happen to bowl first.So they begin to meddle, insisting the pitch needs to be drier, to have less grass, to be dry and bare in certain areas… and pretty soon, with India’s anxiety and their lack of belief in (or respect for) an expert’s ability to do his job properly stirred into a pot that initially only contained reasonable intentions, chaos ensues.Given what unfolded in Kolkata, given the result of that Test match, and given the furore that has followed, India may be looking for a certain amount of course-correction in Guwahati.What sort of pitch does that leave us with, then, and what sort of Test match?”The red-soil wicket, generally, if you ask me, will probably have a little more bounce,” Kotak said. “And how much moisture is there, that is important. So that again [depends] on the weather.”In Kolkata also, it was surprising when, actually, the top surface was coming out. No team would ask that we want it to blast [ball causing the soil to explode on impact] on the second day. Anybody would understand that, it is not rocket science. So this wicket probably will play better, I think.”How much seam movement, how much live grass is there at the end of tomorrow evening, before they cover the wicket, and what kind of weather we will have from morning to evening, I also personally don’t know, so it will be very difficult to comment on that, but it should be a good wicket, it should be four-five days of good cricket.”The Kolkata pitch brought both seamers and spinners into play while being excessively helpful to both. Guwahati, if results match stated intentions, could give us one where both seamers and spinners will be in play but will have to work harder for their wickets.Conditions at Barsapara Cricket Stadium at 4.40pm two days before the second Test•Karthik Krishnaswamy/ESPNcricinfoOne other factor could have an effect on the match. On Saturday, Guwahati will become India’s 30th and easternmost Test venue. Play, accordingly, will start at 9am, half an hour earlier than at other Indian venues. This, however, may not necessarily make up for how far east Guwahati is of India’s standard-time meridian. time, or tea-garden time, which governs the working hours in Assam’s tea estates, is a full hour ahead of IST.The early start, then, could mean a little more moisture in the pitch compared to Kolkata (though probably not venues located further west) but it may not make up for how early the sun sets in Guwahati.Piet Botha, South Africa’s bowling coach, suggested that bad light could be a factor. “Probably end of play at 4 o’clock,” he said. “I saw yesterday it was already dark by 4-ish.”Botha felt seamers could get a bit of early help too, drawing a parallel between Guwahati and Durban, which sits on South Africa’s east coast, where Test matches begin an hour earlier than Tests in Cape Town on the opposite coast.”I thought it would be cooler,” he said. “It was quite hot at 9 o’clock. But obviously it will be a little bit more moisture, so I think in terms of the first hour, the new ball should play a role. For how long, we’re not sure.”We’ll have to see. I know back home in Durban, we start at 9 o’clock [typically 9.30am], and sometimes the ball goes around for the first hour, and then it settles down.”To recap: Guwahati will make its Test debut with a red-soil pitch with some grass on it (though we can’t yet be sure how much). There is potential for bounce and carry, and the pitch is not expected to turn alarmingly at least on the first two days. There could be early moisture for the seamers to exploit, and potentially early finishes owing to bad light.All this could help stretch the Test match into day four, if not day five, if nothing unexpected happens. If.

Newcastle United are now reportedly preparing a move to sign an impressive striker in 2026, who has outscored Nick Woltemade so far this season.

Howe "hugely frustrated" by Tottenham draw

It may now be three Premier League games without defeat for Newcastle, but Eddie Howe couldn’t hide his frustration after Tottenham Hotspur rescued a late draw on Tuesday evening. It could have capped off the beginning of their resurgence following wins over Manchester City and Everton, but ultimately highlighted their frailties instead.

Speaking to reporters at full-time, Howe said: “I think we’re hugely frustrated with ourselves really. That was a game where we had to work really hard for the first goal. I thought we were the dominant team and knocking on the door all through the first half.

“The goal came when it came and I felt then we were in a strong position having been relatively comfortable defensively to then concede the two goals in the way that we did, in the manner that we did. It’s hugely disappointing because we pride ourselves on being better than that defensively.

“Technically, second half, I don’t think we were particularly good, especially when we were leading. When you’re leading and you’ve got the advantage, one or two really quality passes in different moments can make the difference and we went the other way.”

Fewer passes than Ramsdale: Howe must drop 6/10 Newcastle star after Spurs

Newcastle United were denied another Premier League win by Tottenham Hotspur last night.

ByEthan Lamb Dec 3, 2025

The Magpies don’t have long to lick their wounds, however. Up next, they play host to Burnley in their third game in the space of a week. Victory there would represent another step in the right direction in a hectic festive period.

As each game comes, Yoane Wissa also edges closer and closer to a comeback. The DR Congo forward opted out of playing in the Africa Cup of Nations to reward Newcastle for their patience, but that may not be enough to prevent those at St James’ Park from reinforcing their frontline in January.

Newcastle preparing Igor Thiago move

While the Magpies are intent on bolstering their youth ranks, notably joining the likes of Arsenal, Spurs and Chelsea in the race for Cardiff’s Dylan Lawlor, they are also very much thinking about the present.

Indeed, according to Caught Offside, Newcastle are now preparing a move to sign Igor Thiago from Brentford in January after completing their scouting mission.

The impressive forward has scored 11 goals in 13 Premier League games this season – a number that only Erling Haaland has bettered – and could now seal a well-earned move when the January transfer window arrives.

Minutes

1,101

965

Goals

11

5

Assists

0

1

Expected Goals

8.5

4.5

Whilst there’s no denying that record signing Woltemade has made a fantastic start at Newcastle, Thiago has been on another level. The Brentford star has stepped up to replace Bryan Mbeumo, but could now complete a similar move in another blow for Keith Andrews.

The young manager has been full of praise for his forward this season, telling reporters last weekend: “He is a dream to work with. As a person, his hunger and appetite to get better is impressive.

“He is having a fantastic season, it doesn’t take a genius to see that. The numbers will tell you that, the performances he produces consistently well, how well he has integrated into the way they are playing and with individuals.”

Better than Anderson: £70m "monster" is now open to joining Newcastle